1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical interface connections. More particularly, it relates to extendable media connectors that are configured to couple with physical/electrical media plugs.
2. The Relevant Technology
The ability to freely access data on a network and to transfer information between electrical apparatus can dramatically increase productivity and reduce overall production time. Accordingly, electrical apparatus have been equipped with means to access electronically retrievable data over networks, such as the Internet, a world wide network, local area networks ("LANs") and wide area networks ("WANs"). The transfer of data over a network can be accomplished with wireless technology or by telephone lines and cables. The interface between a computer and a cable or telephone line is typically accomplished through a media connector.
One conventional type of media connector is the Registered Jack connector (RJ-series connector). RJ-series connectors are used by almost all telephone companies throughout the world for many applications, the most important of which is interconnection of telephones with telephone lines. For this reason, stringent standardization of connectors has been established to enable compatibility and interactivity. Due to the simplicity of the connection and the established standards, RJ-series connectors are used extensively in the computer industries and in other industries where communication over telephone lines or other types of cables is required.
RJ-series connectors include a plug or contact block and a receptacle or socket. The plug comprises a small block shaped body coupled with a cable, such as a telephone line. Housed within the body are several contact pins. Each of the contact pins is attached to a discrete wire within the cable. Mounted on the outside of the body is a flexible retention clip that is used for removably securing the body of the plug within the socket of an electrical apparatus.
The socket is typically formed on the side of the electrical apparatus and is configured to receive the plug. Disposed within the socket are electrical contact wires. During use, the contact wires within the socket are biased against corresponding contacts on the plug to complete an electrical connection between the plug and the electrical apparatus.
The interior surface of the socket comprises a latching mechanism that receives the retention clip of the plug so as to mechanically secure the plug within the socket by holding retention notches of the retention clip securely in place. To remove the plug, the retention clip is manually flexed towards the body of the plug to release the hold of the latching mechanism on the retention notches, thereby enabling manual removal of the plug from the socket.
As the computer industry continues to develop, new peripheral devices are created that enable users to freely access data on networks and to transfer information between electrical apparatus. There are many types of peripheral devices, including, but not limited to wireless cellular modems, facsimile modems, modular random access memory, and network interface connectors. However, because of size constraints, most computers, particularly portable computers, are designed to incorporate only some of the available peripheral devices. Incorporating every available device into a single computer would substantially increase the price of the computer while decreasing its portability. Furthermore, a computer user may not require or desire all of the available peripheral devices. Accordingly, the computer industry has developed standards that enable a computer user to selectively integrate and interchange various peripheral devices.
These standards have been promulgated by the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA). PCMCIA standards specify spatial size restrictions and coupling interface restrictions. According to PCMCIA standards, there are three types of card architectures. A type-I PCMCIA card has a thickness of approximately 3.3 mm. A type-II PCMCIA card has a thickness of approximately 5 mm. A type-III PCMCIA card has a thickness of approximately 10.5 mm. Each of these card types also have a 68-pin female connector, a width of 55 mm, a length of 85 mm, and edges that are configured to slidably engage channels of a corresponding expansion slot in an electronic apparatus.
PCMCIA standards enable a computer user to selectively use a first peripheral device and later remove it when it is no longer needed. This is particularly useful because it enables a computer user to interchange peripheral devices based on particular needs. When a PCMCIA card is used to access a network or to transfer information between electrical apparatus, the PCMCIA card must be provided with an interface to a media link or media plug. One way to interface a PCMCIA card with an appropriate media plug is to use an adapter. One skilled in the art will recognize a dongle as a typical adapter. Although dongles and other adapters provide one means for interconnecting media plugs with PCMCIA cards, they are also problematic. In particular, they have to be stored and they can easily be misplaced.
One alternative to adapters is to design a socket into the PCMCIA card so that it can directly interface with an appropriate media plug. This is a viable solution for the thicker type-III PCMCIA cards. One problem encountered by this solution, however, occurs during nonuse, when the socket is not occupied by a media plug and is left open to the environment. This is a problem because the socket becomes a sink for dust and debris, which is harmful if it accumulates and prevent the contact pins of the media plug from successfully interfacing with the PCMCIA card. Debris and exposure to the environment can also cause ancillary damage to electrical contact wires within the PCMCIA card. For example, an object inadvertently inserted into the socket may electrically short out or physically deform the electrical contact wires of the PCMCIA card. One solution to these problems is to cap the socket with a plug during nonuse to protect it from harmful dust and debris. However, this solution has its own problems. As with adapters, plugs require additional handling, they must be stored and they can easily be misplaced. Accordingly, it would, therefore, be desirable to provide a media connector that can protect the socket and electrical contact wires from harmful dust and debris during nonuse without having to store additional components such as plugs.
Another problem encountered by traditional sockets is that they cannot accommodate both RJ-11 series plugs and RJ45 series plugs. Typically, RJ-11 series plugs are used as an interface to connect to the internet or for standard modem applications using normal telephone lines. RJ45 series plugs are typically used as an interface to connect to LANs. The body of an RJ-45 series plug is wider than the body of an RJ-11 series plug because it houses eight contact wires, whereas, the RJ-11 series plug houses only four or six contact wires. Accordingly, a socket that is configured to accommodate an RJ-11 series plug is too narrow to receive the body of an RJ-45 series plug. And a socket that is configured to couple an RJ-45 series plug is too wide to securely couple with an RJ-11 series plug because the space between the socket walls and the body of the RJ-11 series plug allows the plug to wiggle back and forth. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a media connector that can securely accommodate both RJ-11 and RJ-45 series media plugs so that only a single media connector is required for a PCMCIA card to access both the internet and LAN's.
Another problem encountered by traditional sockets is that they are configured to couple with a media plug from only a single direction. For example, when a media plug is attached to a very short cord its mobility is limited, restricting the directions from which it can be inserted into a socket. Yet another problem encountered by incorporating traditional sockets into an electrical apparatus or peripheral computer card device is that visibility to the socket is restricted because the socket is recessed beyond the profile of the electrical apparatus. Although a computer user may lean over to view the socket while manipulating the media plug into the socket, it is often necessary to move the electrical apparatus to provide a better angle of vision before the media plug can be successfully navigated into the socket. Accordingly, it would, therefore, be desirable to provide a media connector that can easily be coupled with media plugs from different angles of orientation without requiring the electrical apparatus to be moved and without requiring the computer user to exert undue effort.